Mixed Nuts Cake

My father-in-law loves having nuts in cakes. In fact whenever I made cakes using the ready-to-mix cake mixes, he always wanted me to add some cashew-nuts or raisins in them. So when I tried to make a cake from scratch, I wanted it to have loads of nuts. The truth is, I did go overboard the first time by adding whatever variety of nuts I could find in the kitchen. I remember putting sunflower seeds as well. 😉 The cake turned out perfect and everyone loved it, especially Dad. 😀

So if you like nuts, you should definitely try this recipe. You can add any variety of nuts. I normally add cashew-nuts and pecans as well. It tastes amazing when served with hot chocolate sauce. 🙂

Mixed Nuts Cake

INGREDIENTS:

All-purpose Flour – 1½ cup

Baking Soda – ¼ teaspoon

Baking Powder – 1¼ teaspoon

Unsalted Butter – 125 grams (½ cup at room temperature)

Caster Sugar – 1¼ cup (275 grams)

Eggs – 3 (room temperature)

Milk – ½ cup (room temperature)

Lemon Rind – finely grated – 1 teaspoon

Lemon Juice – 1 tablespoon

Pistachios – finely chopped – 2 tablespoon

Walnuts – finely chopped – 2 tablespoon

Almonds – finely chopped – 2 tablespoon

Nut Topping:

Pistachios – coarsely chopped – 2 tablespoon

Walnuts – coarsely chopped – 2 tablespoon

Almonds – coarsely chopped – 2 tablespoon

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 180º C for 10 minutes. Butter and line the baking pan with baking paper.

Combine the coarsely chopped nuts for the topping in a bowl.

Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.

Combine butter, lemon rind and sugar by beating with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs to this mixture one at a time, beating well between additions.

Stir in the flour mixture and milk in two batches, starting and ending with flour. Stir in the lemon juice and finely chopped nuts.

Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared baking pan. Level the surface with a wet spatula. Spread the nut topping on the leveled cake.

Bake the cake for 30 – 40 minutes. If the top begins to brown faster, cover the cake loosely with aluminium foil. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake cool on a wire rack.

Smaller cakes can be baked in 25 – 30 minutes. Cupcakes will be baked in 15-20 minutes.